Carter Warren grew up in Paterson, New Jersey, just about 10 miles from where he will now be playing as an NFL football player.
The New York Jets selected Carter Warren with the 120th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, becoming the second Pitt Panther to be drafted this year — following Calijah Kancey in the first round.
Warren joins the likes of Jimmy Morrissey, Brian O’Neill, Adam Bisnowaty, T.J. Clemmings and Jason Pinkston as Pitt linemen to be selected in the NFL Draft since 2010.
As a long-time left tackle at Pitt, his NFL future is likely on the outside, but he’s spoken with NFL teams about playing across the line at the next level.
“A lot of teams were asking me if I can play right tackle, if I could possibly play guard, and my answer was yes,” Warren said at the NFL Combine. “I can do it all. I played left tackle for four years, but here and there at practice, I’d play a little right tackle, as well. I played a little left guard as a freshman, so I have experience at both of those positions.”
In six seasons at Pitt, after not seeing the field during his first two, he emerged as a full-time starter at left tackle in 2019. Over the next four seasons, he made 39 starts — starting all but one game over the next three seasons.
The 2022 season was detailed by a torn meniscus against Rhode Island, starting the first four games before the torn meniscus shut down his season, but he has been able to showcase that he’s recovered since even his Shrine Bowl appearances.
He’s a long-time left tackle, an All-ACC left tackle no less, but it goes deeper than that. He’s a team captain, a veteran leader who brings the younger players under his wing and someone who used NIL opportunities to give back to the local community.
At 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, with excellent length and reach, Warren should be able to carve out a role as swing tackle right off the bat and someone who should be able to develop into a starting NFL tackle.
